Eating disorder characteristics and psychiatric symptomatology of eumenorrheic and amenorrheic runners

✍ Scribed by Klock, Susan C. ;DeSouza, Mary Jane

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 407 KB
• Volume: 17
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0276-3478
• DOI: 10.1002/1098-108x(199503)17:2<161::aid-eat2260170209>3.0.co;2-r

✦ Synopsis

Many studies have investigated the relationship between obligatory runners and eating disorder characteristics. Unfortunately, many studies have failed to consider the effect of menstrual status among females in these studies. The present study examined the psychological status and eating characteristics among amenorrheic runners, eumenorrheic runners, and eumenorrheic sedentary women. The results of the study indicated that there were no significant differences between groups on any of the psychological measures but there was a subgroup of amenorrheic runners who scored in the extreme range on the depression and eating disorder measures. There may be a subgroup of amenorrheic runners who have a significant psychiatric disorder although it is unclear whether it is a major depression or anorexia nervosa. Longitudinal studies are needed to fully understand the interaction between excessive exercise, eating disorders, and depression. 0 1995 by john Wiley & Sons, Inc.

It has been suggested that there are psychological similarities between obligatory runners and anorexic patients (Yates, Leehey, & Shisslak, 1983). Yates et al. reported on the psychological characteristics of three obligatory runners, that is, men who ran 80 to 120 km per week, and compared them to anorexic women. These investigators posited that the obligatory runners' single-minded commitment to running was similar to the anorexics' obsessive food restriction. Both obligatory runners and anorexics were intensely focused on controlling their physical condition. In both cases adaptation was compromised because excessive running and extreme food restriction can seriously compromise health. Since Yates et al.'s study several other investigators have studied the hypothesized relationship between excessive exercise and anorexia (Blumenthal, OToole, &